Giving Birth, What to Expect
How labor usually starts Labor tends to announce itself in a few different ways. You might notice regular contractions that get stronger and closer together over time, your water breaking in a gush or a slow trickle, or losing your mucus plug, sometimes called bloody show. None of these show up on the exact same timeline for everyone, and some people go into labor with barely any warning at all. Early contractions are usually mild and irregular, more like period cramps than anything dramatic. Most doctors and midwives will tell you to labor at home during this part and head